Circuit maker and breaker



Mar. 3, 1925.- 1,528,117

.' W. A. LAYCOCK ET AL CIRCUIT MAKER AND BREAKER Y FildwJll. 6, 1923 2Sheets-Sheet 1 v H f attenua,

Mar. 3, 19.25. 1,528,117

W. A. LAYCOCK ET AL CIRCUIT MAKER AND BREAKER n File'dwJn. 6. 1923 2Shees-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 3, ,1925.

UNITED STATES WILBUR A. LAYCOCK,

RADO, ASSIGNORS TO MOTOR CORPORATION OF COLORADO.

vJOHN C. FARRAR, AND HARRY H.

WOLBERT, OF DELTA, COLO- CURVE LIGHT COMPANY, OF DELTA, COLORADO, A

CIRCUIT MAKER lA N' 1)l BREAKER.

.Application led .Tanuary 6, 1923. Serial No. 611,056.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that we, WILBUR A. LAYcocK, JOHN C. FARRAR, and HARRY H.WOLBERT, citizens of the United States, residing at Delta, in the countyof Delta and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Circuit Makers and Breakers, of which the following is aAspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to circuit makers and breakers, and moreparticularly to devices of this character for controlling the lightingsystems of automobiles.

An important object of this invention is to provide'a switch foraccomplishing control of the road illumination means of a vehicle whichembodies a pair of ordinary headlights and a pair of curve lights suchas described in our co-pending application for road illumination controlfor vehicles, filed January 6, 1923, Serial No. 611,055.

In the above identiiied application we have described a control systemfor controlling the headlights of an automobile and for controlling apair of curve lights or lights which direct rays to the side of the roadupon which the vehicle is traveling. As set forth in this application,the control means is necessarily partially manual and partiallyautomatic. and an important object of this invention is to provide acombined switch structure which steering post of a vehicle so that itmay be accessible to the driver of the vehicle and which embodies bothan automatic and a manual control for such curve lights.

A further object of the invention is to provide a compound switch ofthis character which may be very cheaply constructed, which willbestrong and durable in service, and the parts ofr which may be sosituated as 'to in no manner interfere with the normal operation of thevehicle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which is applicable to the steering posts of vehicles ofdiderent constructions without in any manner alterin the same.

These and ot er objects we attain by the construction and arrangementshown in the accompanyin drawings wherein for the purpose of ilustration is shown a preferred embodiment of our invention and whereinis readily adjustable to the Th vas indicated at 15, to form likereference characters designate like parts throughout.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view showing an automobile providedwith curve lights and the control thereof possible with our switch;

igure 2 is a side elevation showing the direction of the beams of thecurve lights;

Figure 3 is a plan view partially in section of a switch constructed inaccordance with our invention;

Figure l is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view showing the manually operatedportion of the switch;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view through the switch;

Figure 7 is a detail plan view showing a slightly modified form ofattachment for the operating finger for the automatic switch;

Figure 8 is a eide elevation of the structure shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a detail view partially inv section showing a modifiedconstruction of the automatic switch, and

Figure 10 is a wiring diagram showing the connections employed.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, V designates a vehiclehaving the usual headlights H and provided in addition to suchheadlights with curve lights C. e curve lights C are arranged at thesides of the vehicle at the front thereof so as to direct the raysthereof downwardly upon the road, as indicated in Figure 2. It will benoted that the rays passing from these lights as indicated in thisfigure all remain below a plane passing through the upper portion of thelight and paralleling the road upon which the vehicle is traveling. Theheadlights H will focus upon the road at a point approximately indicatedby the character F and in the usual manner. The nul mera-1 10 designatesthe steering post housing of the vehicle and 11 the steering wheel.

In the construction of our switch we provide a housing 12 formed from asingle strip of metal which has its ends bent back upon itself, asindicated at 13, thus providing a central table portion 14. At pointsspaced Y inwardly from the sides of this table portion the ends of thestrip of metal are down bent,

side walls for and which are adapted for the reception of a clampingband 17 by means of which the housing may be secured upon the steeringpost housing 10. This band is in the form of a continuous strip of metalwhich is inserted through the slot 16 and then bent about the housing10, the ends of the band being outturned to form ears'through which asecr ring element may be extended, as indicate at 18.

Mounted in the housing 12 approximately centrally thereof is a shaft 19,the shaft having upon one end a reduced portion`20 which is insertedthrough an opening formed in the table 14 from the interior of thehousing so that the shouldei` thereof comes in engagement with the undersurface of the table. This reduced portion is surrounded next adjacentthe table 14 by a washer 21 forming a support for a disk 22 ofinsulating material. The upper end of the reduced portion 201s providedwith an enlarged removable head 23 and between this head and the uppersurface of the disk 22 a spring 24 extends so as to normally preventrotation of the disk 22 upon the shaft 19 and likewise to maintain theshoulder formed by the reduction of the shaft in engagement with theunder surface of the table 14. The lower end of the shaft 19 is reduced,as indicated at 25, and has rotatably mounted thereon a bar 26 ofconducting material which is held in position by a removable enlargedhead 27 engaging the lower end of the shaft. The bar 26 swings in aplane paralleling or approximately paralleling the table 14 and isprovided at a point aligning with its pivot p With a lug 28. Betweenthis lug 28 and a similar lug 29 formed upon the opposed wall of thehousing 12 a compression spring 3() extends. The bar 26 has pivotallyconnected thereto a pair of stems 31, one stem being arranged adjacenteach end of the bar and these stems extending through openings formed 1nthe wall of the housing and havmg upon their outer ends heads 32. Theseheads form a means of operation for the-bar' 26. which by means of thesame may have an lm t1al movement imparted thereto. It is pointed outthat after the lug 28 of the bar 26 1s passed through that planeincluding theaxis of the shaft 19 and the lug .29, the spring 30 acts tocontinue the movement thereof regardless of the direction of suchinitial movement. Mounted in one wall of the housing are contacts 33 and34, one of which is engaged by thebar 26- when the same is atoneextremity of its movement and the other of which is engaged by theopposite end ofthe barwhen the bar is at- 'the other extremity of Thedisk 22 has seated therein contacts 37 A and 38, these contacts being lpreferablyA mounted in the edge of the disk. Mounted upon the table 14are brush holders 39 having brushes 40, 41 and 42 therein, the brushesbeing insulated from the housing 12 and from one another. are soconstructed that upon swinging movement of the disk in one direction thecontact 38 is simultaneously engaged by the brushes 40 and 41 andelectrically connects the same and when the disk is swung in theopposite direction the contact 37 of the disk electrically connects thebrushes 41 and 42.

The disk 22 is provided at that side thereof remote froln the contacts37 and 38 with an elongation or extension 43 having formed therein anotch 44. Secured to the steering wheel 11 is a clamping band 45 bymeans of which an actuating member 46 may be adjustably secured thereto.The actuating member may' be either carried directly by the band asillustrated in Figure 8, or clamped against the steering post thereby,as indicated in Figure 4. In the former figure the actuating member isin the form of two ears 47 carried by the yoke or clamp 45 through whichextends a securing element threaded in one thereof. This securingelement forms a pivot for an arm 48, the end ofwhich is provided with afinger 49 for engagement in the notch 44 of the disk 22. In l the latterligure a body 50 is provided adapted to abut the steering wheel and beclamped therein by the band 45, this body being provided atits ends withthe ears 47 for the reception of the arm 48.`

As a means for holding the arm 48 perpendicular to the steering post andat the same time to permit yielding thereof for a purpose presently toappear, a spring 48 is provided having a portion thereof disposedintermediate the ears 47 which abuts against the lower end of the arm 48to maint-ain the same in such position. If the arm' be moved to one sideor the other ofl its proper position about its pivot, the spring willyield but upon release of the force which has moved the arm will againreturn lthe arm to its normal position. The importance of this-construction will e rendered obviousfwhen it is considered that the hubof a steering wheel isl .of consider- Th@J Contacts e7 and as able size`and the steering wheel in many instances is rotated throughsubstantially three-fourths of a revolution. It will be obvious thatwhen so rotated the arm 4S or more particularly the linger 49 thereofmust at a certain point leave the notch 44 of the disk 43 or this notchmust be made of abnormal size and thereby preclude accurate adjustmentof the disk.l It will=be obvious that in moving about the wheel it isaltogether possible that the hand or some portion of the clothing maycome in contact with the disk while the same is released, tending 'toshift the same a short distance to one side or the other and should thisshifting occur while the arm is released and before its return. the arm,if solid, when engaging the disk would cause a breakage either of thearm or of the disk. ever, with this yielding construction, the arm willcam upon the fac-,e of the disk moving toward the steering wheel to passabout the disk until it arrives at the notch when it will be thrownforwardly by its spring to engage therein. The contacts 3T and 38 willbe made of suiiicient length to insure connection of their normallyengaged brush with the brush 41 after the linger 49 has left the notch44, and the spring 24 will act as a brake to holdthe'disk againstrotation and thereby normally maintain the disk with its notch inposition to receive the finger. i

In the use of the device, the brush 41 and contacts 33 and 34 will beelectrically connected with one terminal of a source of current B, theopposite terminal of which is grounded. The brushes and 42 will beelectrically connected with the conta-cts 36 and 36EL and these contactsin turn will be electrically connected with the illuminating elements 51of their corresponding curve light C. The contact 35 will be connectedin parallel with the headlight bulbs 52. It will be seen that uponrotation of the steering wheel in the direction -of the arrow in Figure3. the disk 22 through its engagement by the linger will be rotated tobring the contact 37 into engagement with the brushes 42 and 41,resulting in an electrical connection of these brushes and consequentlythe completion of a circuit from the battery through the brush 41,contact 37, brush 42, contact 36 or 36a, the corresponding curve lightelement 51 and to the battery through the ground. Upon rotation of thesteering wheel in the opposite direction the circuit is completedthrough the brushes 41 and 40 and the Contact 38 of the disk. As-

suming the bar 26 to be in the position shown in Figure 5, theheadlights are illuminated and the curve lights will only be illuminatedduring the brushes 40 and 41 or 41 and 42 are connected and then only a.single curve light.

those periods when However, by manipulation of the buttons 32 to bringthe bar to thc position where it connects the contacts and 36 and 36a,the headlights are extinguished and the curve lights simultaneouslyilluminated, thus permitting the use of these curve lights as dimmers.

It will be obvious that practically considered the contacts 40 and 36and 42 and 36a are to 'all intents and purposes the same contacts. Thatis to4 say, being electrically connected and interlocking in theiroperation, the contacts 40 and 36 might be considered as a singlecontact and the contacts 42 and 36a Ias a single contact. Similarly, thecontacts 33 and 34 might be simply considered as a means for connectingthe manually operated switch blade 26 in circuit with a source ofcurrent. lViththis in view it will be clearly seen that the completeswitch formed by the 'combination of manually and automaticallycontrolled switches has a pair of contacts 40, 36 and 42, 36a havingmeans for connecting the same in separate circuits and the movableswitch element 22 for alternately connecting these contacts with asource of electrical energy. Thiscombination further includes a thirdcontact having means for connecting the same in a further circuit, theheadlight circuit, and a second movable switch element, the bar '26,which is engageable with the last named contact to close the circuit tothe headlights. This last named switch element 26 being furthersimultaneously en- "il gageablc with said pair of contacts when it isdisengaged from the third contact.

It will be obvious that many changes are possible in the construction ashereinbefore set. forth. The most notable of these is 'that instead ofemploying a plurality of contacts upon the disk, a single contact 53 maybe employed which normally engages the brush 41 and which is byoscillation of the disk caused to connect either the brushes 41 and 40or 41 and 42. It is furthermore advantageous under many circumstances toprovide a construction wherein the bar 26 may be employed to completethe circuits not only separately but simultaneously, and such aconstruction we have illustrated in Figure 5 in dotted lines, whereinthe contacts 33, 35, 36 and 36a have been elongated to a point wherethey are all engaged by the bar 26 when the lug 28 of the bar is in adirect line between the lug 29 of the housing 12 and the axis of theshaft 19. At this point. the spring 30 does not act to move the bar ineither direction and the frictional engagement thereof with the contactswill prove suiicientto hold the same against movement. lIn this positionit will be obvious thatfa circuit is completed from the battery throughthe contacts 33 to the contact 35 and to the headlights and through llOthe contacts 36 and 36a to each of the illuminating elements 51 ofthecurve lights so that the headlights and curve lights may besimultaneously illuminated. Many other similar changes being possiblewithout in an)7 manner departing from the spirit of our invention, we donot limit ourselves to the specific structure hereinbefore set forthexcept as hereinafter claimed.

`We claim l. In a. steering post switch and in conibination withstationary and moving parts of the steering mechanism of a vehicle, ahousing adapted to4 be clamped upon the stationary portion of thesteering mechanism and including a table portion and side wallsextending between the table portion and such 'stationary part, a pivotmember directed through the table and embodying portions extendinginteriorly and exteriorly of the casing, a switch blade mounted uponthat portion of the pivot; within '.tlie casing, contact elementscarried by opposed walls of the casing with which the switch elementcoacts, means extending through the wall of the casing 'for shiftingsaid switch element for engagement with said contacts, contact brushesmounted upon the table exteriorly of the casing and a disk mounted uponthat portion of the pivot member exteriorly of the casing` and embodyingmeans for electrically connecting certain of said contacts upon rotationin either direction, and means carried by the moving. part of thesteering mechanism and engaging said disk for rotating the same uponrotation of said moving part. Y

2. In an electric switch, a pair of contacts havingmeans for connectingthe same in separate circuits, a movable switch element for alternatelyconnecting said contacts with a source of electrical energy, a thirdcontact having means for connecting the same in a further circuit, and asecond movable switch element having means for connecting the same inthe last named circuit and engageable with the last named contact forclosing said last'J named circuit, the second same in a Jfurthercircuit, a second movable switch element having means for connect'- ingthe saine in the last named circuit and eugageable with the last namedcontact for closing said last named circuzt, the second movable switchelement being further siinultaneously engageable with said pair ofcontacts when disengagedvfrom the third contact, the first named movableswitch eley ment having means for operatively connecting the same 'tothe rotatable steering post ot' a vehicle, and manually operable meansfor moving the second named movable switch element.

4. In an electric switch, a pair of contacts having means for connectingthe same in separate circuits, a movable switch element for alternatelyconnecting said contacts with a source of electrical energy, a thirdcontact hai-ing means for connecting the same in a further circuit, asecond movable switch element having means for connecting the same inthe last named circuit and engageable with the last named contact forclosing said last named circuit, the second movable switch element beingfurther simultaneously engageable with said pair of contacts whendisengaged from the third contact, the first named movable switchelement having means for operatively connecting the same yto a rotatingactuating member, and manually operable means for moving said secondnamed movable switch element; In testimony whereof we hereunto ax oursignatures.

' WILBUR A. LAYCOCK.

JOHN'C. FARRAR. HARRY H. WOLBERT.

